Graphic Designer Job Kit

CAREERS

withSTEM JOB KIT ™

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mix creativity with technology to communicate ideas and information across different mediums and audiences

Join the creative class of tomorrow.

Work by Holly Theissen 2024 Design Institute of Australia Graduate of the Year Winner - Interact Category

FOREWORD

Shape the way we see the world From passion to profession: turning your creativity into a graphic design career

robbie carter Senior designer, illustrator + Lecturer

L

IMAGES: SUPPLIED / SHUTTERSTOCK

g school, I was lost ike many students leavin go with my life. and not too sure where to ortunities of opp I never knew about the ng into goi ally graphic design, origin . I worked on ure ect hit engineering and then arc realised I never truly some great projects, but ings. However, I did love enjoyed designing build e of them, and designing creating posters on the sid uld knock on the door of T-shirts. Eventually, I wo n, where I studied Billy Blue College of Desig ign, specialising in a Bachelor degree in des communication design. d graphic design has I’m a visual storyteller, an re my ideas and given me the ability to sha diums (like social creativity across many me development and media, website design, app present a new creative branding). Each day can le some days might be a litt challenge and although nt clie py hap a of h rus the stressful, nothing beats a. ide d ute xec ll-e we a and p the foundations of At Billy Blue, we develo tools you need to go creativity and give you the The benefits of studying down any creative path. u Design are immense. Yo the Diploma of Graphic d an s nd ou kgr bac ls with are taught by professiona Bachelor of Architecture

Graphic design all about curiousityis ” a wealth of knowledge fro m all areas of the industry. The projects are designed to mimic real-world scenarios and you are treated as emerging design professio nals, not students.

Our classes and projects have been informed by the industry as we look to keep up with the latest technologies and trends in design. We seek to set you up for working in the real world.

If you’re considering gra phic design, know that it’s all about curiosity. It isn’t only about creating something pretty but un derstanding how to connect with others throu gh ideas, shapes, type, and colours. It’s about ho w you order elements to create effective communic ation. If you’re curious about how to create and share ideas visually, the n maybe graphic design is for you.

Robbie Carter Senior designer, illustrato r, and lecturer at Billy Blue College of De sign Internship, Conway Designs and Landor & Associates

Bachelor of Applied Design in Communication Design

Senior designer, AnalogFolk Sydney

Freelance designer and brand consultant, Robert James Carter Design

Excellence for Best Teaching 2023, nominated in 2024

Junior designer, Billy Blue Studio

Lecturer, Billy Blue College of Design

Winner of the Design Kids’ top 30 favourite lecturers in the world, 2023 and 2024

Check out CareerswithSTEM.com for more insights, information, inspiration and advice about creative STEM careers!

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GRAPHIC DESIGN

DEEP DIVE

S I H T E S I L A U VIS

Do you want a career where you get to take creative risks, use tech, solve problems and be in-demand? Welcome to graphic design

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ual storyteller graphic designer is a vis o compelling int as who transforms ide s, typography, on ati str visuals, using illu ate messages that and layout to communic e audiences. This inform, inspire, and engag infographics, can take the form of logos, nts, and layouts for packaging, advertiseme b and apps. To do brochures, magazines, we with latest design this, they need to keep up and be able to ls, trends and software too igners, des low work with clients, fel er creatives like oth d an s marketing specialist editors and writers. e a graphic It’s a great time to becom EK, graphic designer. According to SE grow by 21.7% in the designer roles are set to ation in graphic next five years. A found rking for leading design could see you wo g agencies, web isin design studios, advert panies, print and design or marketing com rs, or non-profit online publishers, retaile even work for organisations. You could

Epic employers

SOURCES: * COLORLAB / **KANTAR / ***LINEARITY / | WORDS: LOUISE MEERS | IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

ry Students learn from indust are re He in and out of class. ly just some of the partners Bil Blue works with.

Frost*collective DDB adobe Oz Harvest Barnados Australia Havas Red Channel 7

The global graphic desig n market size is $43.4 billion!*

yourself. In fact, 90% of graphic designers work as freelancers*, running their own businesses and setting their own schedules.

To get there, you will need a qualification in graphic design and Billy Blue College of Design (powered by Torrens University) has you covered.

You’ll be taught by industry experts who have strong connections to the design world, plus you’ll get to work on real-world projects and grow your own network of contacts before you graduate! And major bonus: Billy Blue graduates are in demand and many find themselves employed** before they even graduate.

Find out more about becoming this career, where it can take you and what to study on the following pages.

All the perks

Graphic design by the numbers • Ads that grab attention get 45% more people to take action.

• Animated designs make people interact 58% more.

• Websites with different typography styles are 40% easier to read.

• Companies with consistent branding boost brand loyalty by 60%.

• 70% of mobile apps with balanced design keep users coming back longer.***

AGDA

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Did you know?

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Some of the benefits of studying the diploma or degree at Billy Blue include: ✔ Getting hands-on with industry-standard software. ✔ Access to a free Adobe Creative Cloud License for your study period and six months after graduation. ✔ Flexible study options. ✔ Learning from industry experts like brand ambassadors and creative directors. ✔ Gaining real-world experience through an internship or industry project. ✔ Graduating with a professional design portfolio, ready to star t your career as a professional troublemaker in design.

Award winners

Pick your path Diploma of Graphic Design – Billy Blue The diploma focuses on design awareness, problem-solving and technical skills. You’ll gain an understanding of design thinking, composition, hierarchy, alignment, typography, illustration, symbols, branding, interaction and motion design.

Learn more here: bit.ly/ DiplomaGraphicDesignBB Or scan the QR code P.S. With a Diploma of Graphic Design under your belt, you can step right into industry, or transition into the second year of the Bachelor of Communication Design.

Billy Blue College of Design is the place to be for anyone serious about making it in the creative industry. In 2024 alone, Billy Blue students won over 60 design awards, including DIA’s Graduate of the Year awards, Indigo’s International Design Awards and AGDA’s Graphic Design Awards. Now they’re designing for top agencies.

This could be you.

Graphic design trends for 2025

Bachelor of Communication Design – Billy Blue

According to Adobe, here’s what’s in.

This degree equips you with a solid understanding of design principles, conceptual thinking and typography; while advanced level subjects delve into strategic thinking, brand strategy, packaging design, storytelling, customer experience design, and service design. Students also get to explore emerging areas such as sustainable design, user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, and design thinking methodologies.

Explore this degree: bit.ly/ BachelorCommDesign Or scan

AI-powered design

Designers are using AI to enh ance inspiration, ideation, and fin al touches. While it amplifies skills AI doesn’t replace designers .

Bold minimalism

Think bold typography, vibran t colour palettes, and simple designs with a strong emphasis on key ele ments.

Maximalist illustration

Lots of vibrant, intricate illu strations with bold, detailed elements that demand attention and engage viewers with their complexity .

Handcrafted

Organic lettering and textur ed designs are on the rise, ref lecting a shift towards more natura l, analogue aesthetics.

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GRAPHIC DESIGN

REAL PEOPLE

Equipped with a passion for design, Sam Keast is partnering with fellow creatives to build a creative agency

Diploma of Sound Production

Audio engineer, ns Soundalive Productio

Audio engineer, Clear Systems

ign, Diploma of Gr aphicofDes ign Des ge lle Co e billy Blu

WORDS: SASKIA HORGAN-CATCHPOLE | IMAGES: SUPPLIED / SHUTTERSTOCK

ication Design, Bachelor of Communge of design lle co e blu ly Bil

Designing his future

sam keast Bachelor of communiction design student

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ted in the power of am has always been interes influence a visuals and how design can duct. He kicked pro a customer’s perception of e College of Blu y Bill off his design career path at ign, followed by Des c phi Gra Design with a Diploma of Design. a Bachelor of Communication d foundation, but I wanted soli a me e gav “The diploma lains. “Continuing into to go deeper into it,” he exp more me refine my style, develop a bachelor’s degree helped the of ding tan ers und bet ter advanced skills, and gain a ” ign. des of side ic teg stra , Sam explored branding, Throughout his design studies ity UI. He loved the mix of creativ marketing, motion and UX/ to life e com t cep ing a design con and problem-solving, plus see ays eaw tak the of real world. One and having an impact in the have can ign des act imp about the from his studies was learning n eve and ut layo ur, as colo on human psychology, such emotions and behaviour. an hum ing act imp y aph typogr with yed the hands- on approach, At Billy Blue, Sam also enjo k in wor who feedback and lecturers small class sizes for direct om. sro erience into the clas the industry, bringing real exp r. ding was also a game change buil io tfol “The focus on por stry indu the for like preparing It made studying feel more says. he ,” ory the rather than just

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Portfolio building gives students a head start when applying for jobs and inspired Sam to build an agency with like-minded creatives, rather than taking a job at an existing business.

In this agency, Sam and the team plan to create a full-service organisation that uses all aspects of what he learned at uni, including design, film and photography, social media and digital marketing.

While getting that up and running, Sam plans to do freelance design work, as well as keep up with his gigs in the live entertainment business, where he has worked as an audio engineer for the past 17 years!

continuing into a bachelor’s helped m develop advanced sk e ills”

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t n e m n o ir v n e t h ig The r

d an internship while at uni helpe d an ing rn lea ed rat eg int rk Wo e in environmental design rol m ea dr a d lan ux rea ve De Alicia

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, you may hen you think of design chures. But bro d an tes bsi think of we onnected for Alicia, design is interc she transforms how with physical spaces, as d feel within an people move, interact, an nage, environmental environment through sig (how people navigate graphics and wayfinding a junior designer As themselves in a space). at Frost*collective, m tea in the environments s, urban planners and she works with architect y with functionality to clients to blend creativit ents. transform built environm sign played a big part De of e lleg Co e Billy Blu . With a hands-on, in shaping Alicia’s career , she developed her ch industry-focused approa range of electives. e ers skills and explore a div , typography, UX, These included branding tia l design. A work motion graphics, and spa ve allowed her to integrated learning electi ce on a collaborative gain rea l-world experien studio environment, project that mirrored the the workforce. helping her transition to

alicia deve reaux junior desig ner

During her studies, Alicia worked at Arcadia Landscape Architecture and completed a social media internship at ACME Media, gaining experience in spatial design and digital design.

It was during Billy Blue’s industry portfolio presentation sessions that introduced her to Frost*collective.

One of her most meaningful projects?

Designing environmental graphics for Sydney Children’s Hospital, where she worked with patients to incorporate their drawings into the final designs.

“Whether it’s making a hospital feel more welcoming through thoughtful wayfinding or enhancing a city precinct with striking environmental graphics, it’s rewarding to create work that is both functional and beautiful,” says Alicia.

Day in the life 9:00 AM

Morning meeting to discuss ongoing projects and deadlines.

10:00 AM

Design development: Working on wayfinding concepts, signage layouts, or environmental graphics.

12:30 PM

Lunch break. This is often spent catching up with colleagues or taking a walk.

WORDS: SASKIA HORGAN-CATCHPOLE | IMAGES: SUPPLIED / SHUTTERSTOCK

1:30 PM

Client meetings or internal catchups to discuss design progress.

3:00 PM

it’s rewarding to create work that is both functional and beautifuL”

Bachelor of Communication Design, Billy Blue College of Design

Refining design details, preparing files for production, or collaborating with architects and signage contractors.

6:00 PM

Wrap up tasks and plan for the next day.

Graphic designer, Arcadia Landscape Architecture

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Social media intern, ACME Media

Junior designer, Frost*collective

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Show off your talents

Get the job!

Start your graphic design study and career path right here

Each year the Bright Award s showcase the bold creative talent of Year 10-12 students across Australia.

Hosted by Billy Blue College of Design, this competition gives rising designers and tec h innovators the chance to shine, get noticed by indust ry leaders, and win prizes!

Find out more at bit.ly/Bright AwardsComp

Choose this career if you...

Electives checklis

t Select these subject s in Year 11 and 12 to get a he ad star t on your future stud ies: ✔ Visual ar ts ✔ Desig n and tech no log y ✔ English

✔ Love creating new ideas, ts illustrations, working with fon ine and visuals onl tion ✔ Are always spotting inspira or from movies, street art photography ✔ Can’t help but notice little details are a ✔ Have a creative brain and creative at heart ✔ Are full of ideas and run wild with your imagination

Follow

Skill up Besides being a talented designer, in the graphic design industry you’ll also need to be: ✔ Super creative ✔ A problem solver ✔ A feedback taker ✔ Good at paying attention to the little things ✔ A collaboration pro ✔ A visionary thinker

See what Billy Blue design students and alumni are up to:

Listen

Design Matters great chats This podcast features lots of designers c phi with industry-leading gra by ted hos It’s and other creatives. bie Deb er ign des American artist and t ges lon and t firs the Millman and is . ign des ut abo t cas running pod Creative Clinks and Join interior designer Barbie o (wh rgie graphic designer Geo as i) mn alu e are both Billy Blu they chat about different aspects of being in the design industry and how creativity influences our lives.

@whoisbillyblue Billy Blue College of Design Billy Blue College of Design And check out the CVs of Billy Blue lecturers, Hannah Schmith and Robbie Carter, who were awarded as Top 30 lecturers in the 2024 The Design Kids Awards:

Hannah Schmith Robbie Carter

WORDS: LOUISE MEERS | IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

read

apply

For a design scholarship.

Explore your options at bit.ly/TorrensScholarships

Interaction of Color by Jos ef Albers A popular art education book that explains a set of principles for unders tanding and perceiving colour in different ways.

Design is Storytelling by Elle n Lupton Filled with tools and insights into engaging people and shaping behaviour with design.

Helpful for anyone who wants to work across graphic design, produc t design, service design and user experie nce.

Watch

Day in the Life of a Billy Blue Graphic Design Alumna (TikTok) ind Holly Theissen takes you beh the in day l ica typ a the scenes of ia. tral Aus ue Vog at rld design wo ITL llyD bit.ly/Ho

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This edition was published on 28 April 2025.